ThenheembracedmeandcalledontheAlmightytotakemeinHiscare，andweparted。
　　Ineversawhimmore，forthoughhewasbutmiddle-aged，withinayearofmygoingmyfatherdiedsuddenlyofadistemperoftheheartinthenaveofDitchinghamchurch，ashestoodthere，neartheroodscreen，musingbymymother’sgraveoneSundayaftermass，andmybrothertookhislandsandplace。
　　Godresthimalso！
　　Hewasatrue-heartedman，butmorewrappedupinhisloveformymotherthanitiswellforanymantobewhowouldlookatlifelargelyanddorightbyall。
　　Forsuchlove，thoughnaturaltowomen，isapttoturntosomethingthatpartakesofselfishness，andtocausehimwhobearsittothinkallelseofsmallaccount。
　　Hischildrenwerenothingtomyfatherwhencomparedtomymother，andhewouldhavebeencontenttolosethemeveryoneiftherebyhemighthavepurchasedbackherlife。
　　Butafterallitwasanobleinfirmity，forhethoughtlittleofhimselfandhadgonethroughmuchtowinher。
　　OfmyvoyagetoCadiz，towhichportIhadlearnedthatdeGarcia’sshipwasbound，thereislittletobetold。
　　WemetwithcontrarywindsintheBayofBiscayandweredrivenintotheharbourofLisbon，wherewerefitted。
　　ButatlastwecamesafelytoCadiz，havingbeenfortydaysatsea。
　　A
　　NowIshalldwellbutbrieflyonalltheadventureswhichbefellmeduringtheyearorsothatIremainedinSpain，forwereItosetouteverythingatlength，thishistorywouldhavenoend，oratleastminewouldfindmebeforeIcametoit。
　　ManytravellershavetoldofthegloriesofSeville，towhichancientMoorishcityIjourneyedwithallspeed，sailingthereuptheGuadalquiver，andIhavetotelloflandsfromwhichnootherwandererhasreturnedtoEngland，andmustpressontothem。
　　Tobeshortthen；foreseeingthatitmightbenecessaryformetostopsometimeinSeville，andbeingdesiroustoescapenoticeandtobeatthesmallestexpensepossible，IbethoughtmethatitwouldbewellifIcouldfindmeansofcontinuingmystudiesofmedicine，andtothisendIobtainedcertainintroductionsfromthefirmofmerchantstowhosecareIhadbeenrecommended，addressedtodoctorsofmedicineinSeville。
　　Theselettersatmyrequestweremadeoutnotinmyownnamebutinthatof’Diegod’Aila，’forI
　　didnotwishittobeknownthatIwasanEnglishman。
　　Nor，indeed，wasthislikely，exceptmyspeechshouldbetrayme，for，asIhavesaid，inappearanceIwasverySpanish，andthehindranceofthelanguagewasonethatlessenedeveryday，sincehavingalreadylearneditfrommymother，andtakingeveryopportunitytoreadandspeakit，withinsixmonthsIcouldtalkCastilianexceptforsomeslightaccent，likeanativeoftheland。
　　AlsoIhaveagiftfortheacquiringoflanguages。
　　WhenIwascometoSeville，andhadplacedmybaggageinaninn，notoneofthemostfrequented，IsetouttodeliveraletterofrecommendationtoafamousphysicianofthetownwhosenameIhavelongforgotten。
　　ThisphysicianhadafinehouseinthestreetofLasPalmas，agreatavenueplantedwithgracefultrees，thathasotherlittlestreetsrunningintoit。
　　DownoneoftheseIcamefrommyinn，aquietnarrowplacehavinghouseswithpatiosorcourtyardsoneithersideofit。
　　AsIwalkeddownthisstreetI
　　noticedamansittingintheshadeonastoolinthedoorwayofhispatio。
　　Hewassmallandwithered，withkeenblackeyesandawonderfulairofwisdom，andhewatchedmeasIwentby。
　　NowthehouseofthefamousphysicianwhomIsoughtwassoplacedthatthemansittingatthisdoorwaycouldcommanditwithhiseyesandtakenoteofallwhowentinandcameout。
　　WhenIhadfoundthehouseI
　　returnedagainintothequietstreetandwalkedtoandfrothereforawhile，thinkingofwhattaleIshouldtelltothephysician，andallthetimethelittlemanwatchedmewithhiskeeneyes。
　　AtlastIhadmadeupmystoryandwenttothehouse，onlytofindthatthephysicianwasfromhome。
　　HavinginquiredwhenImightfindhimIleft，andoncemoretooktothenarrowstreet，walkingslowlytillIcametowherethelittlemansat。
　　AsIpassedhim，hisbroadhatwithwhichhewasfanninghimselfslippedtothegroundbeforemyfeet。
　　Istoopeddown，lifteditfromthepavement，andrestoredittohim。
　　’Athousandthanks，youngsir，’hesaidinafullandgentlevoice。
　　’Youarecourteousforaforeigner。’
　　’Howdoyouknowmetobeaforeigner，senor？’Iasked，surprisedoutofmycaution。
　　’IfIhadnotguesseditbefore，Ishouldknowitnow，’heanswered，smilinggravely。
　　’YourCastiliantellsitsowntale。’
　　Ibowed，andwasabouttopasson，whenheaddressedmeagain。
　　’Whatisyourhurry，youngsir？
　　Stepinandtakeacupofwinewithme；itisgood。’
　　Iwasabouttosayhimnay，whenitcameintomymindthatIhadnothingtodo，andthatperhapsImightlearnsomethingfromthisgossip。
　　’Thedayishot，senor，andIaccept。’
　　Hespokenomore，butrising，ledmeintoacourtyardpavedwithmarbleinthecentreofwhichwasabasinofwater，havingvinestrainedaroundit。
　　Herewerechairsandalittletableplacedintheshadeofthevines。
　　Whenhehadclosedthedoorofthepatioandwewereseated，herangasilverbellthatstooduponthetable，andagirl，youngandfair，appearedfromthehouse，dressedinaquaintSpanishdress。
　　’Bringwine，’saidmyhost。
　　Thewinewasbrought，whitewineofOportosuchasIhadnevertastedbefore。
　　’Yourhealth，senor？’
　　Andmyhoststopped，hisglassinhishand，andlookedatmeinquiringly。
　　’Diegod’Aila，’Ianswered。
　　’Humph，’hesaid。
　　’ASpanishname，orperhapsanimitationSpanishname，forIdonotknowit，andIhaveagoodheadfornames。’
　　’Thatismyname，totakeortoleave，senor？’——AndIlookedathiminturn。
　　’AndresdeFonseca，’herepliedbowing，’aphysicianofthiscity，wellknownenough，especiallyamongthefair。
　　Well，SenorDiego，I
　　takeyourname，fornamesarenothing，andattimesitisconvenienttochangethem，whichisnobody’sbusinessexcepttheirowners’。
　　Iseethatyouareastrangerinthiscity——noneedtolooksurprised，senor，onewhoisfamiliarwithatowndoesnotgazeandstareandaskthepathofpassers-by，nordoesanativeofSevillewalkonthesunnysideofthestreetinsummer。
　　Andnow，ifyouwillnotthinkmeimpertinent，Iwillaskyouwhatcanbethebusinessofsohealthyayoungmanwithmyrivalyonder？’
　　Andhenoddedtowardsthehouseofthefamousphysician。
　　’Aman’sbusiness，likehisname，ishisownaffair，senor，I
　　answered，settingmyhostdowninmymindasoneofthosewhodisgraceourartbyplyingopenlyforpatientsthattheymaycapturetheirfees。
　　’Still，Iwilltellyou。
　　Iamalsoaphysician，thoughnotyetfullyqualified，andIseekaplacewhereImayhelpsomedoctorofreputeinhisdailypractice，andthusgainexperienceandmylivingwithit。’
　　’Ahisitso？
　　Well，senor，thenyouwilllookinvainyonder，’andagainhenoddedtowardsthephysician’shouse。
　　’Suchashewilltakenoapprenticewithoutthefeebelargeindeed；itisnotthecustomofthiscity。’
　　’ThenImustseekalivelihoodelsewhere，orotherwise。’
　　’Ididnotsayso。
　　Now，senor，letusseewhatyouknowofmedicine，andwhatismoreimportant，ofhumannature，forofthefirstnoneofuscaneverknowmuch，buthewhoknowsthelatterwillbealeaderofmen——orofwomen——wholeadthemen。’
　　Andwithoutmoreadoheputmemanyquestions，eachofthemsoshrewdandgoingsodirectlytotheheartofthematterinhand，thatImarvelledathissagacity。
　　Someofthesequestionsweremedical，dealingchieflywiththeailmentsofwomen，othersweregeneralanddealtmorewiththeircharacters。
　　Atlengthhefinished。
　　’Youwilldo，senor，’hesaid；’youareayoungmanofpartsandpromise，though，aswastobeexpectedfromoneofyouryears，youlackexperience。
　　Thereisstuffinyou，senor，andyouhaveaheart，whichisagoodthing，fortheblundersofamanwithaheartoftencarryhimfurtherthanthecunningofthecynic；alsoyouhaveawillandknowhowtodirectit。’
　　Ibowed，anddidmybesttoholdbackmysatisfactionathiswordsfromshowinginmyface。
　　’Still，’hewenton，’allthiswouldnotcausemetosubmittoyoutheofferthatIamabouttomake，formanyaprettierfellowthanyourselfisafterallunlucky，orafoolatthebottom，orbadtemperedanddestinedtothedogs，asforaughtIknowyoumaybealso。
　　ButItakemychanceofthatbecauseyousuitmeinanotherway。
　　Perhapsyoumayscarcelyknowityourself，butyouhavebeauty，senor，beautyofaveryrareandsingulartype，whichhalftheladiesofSevillewillpraisewhentheycometoknowyou。’
　　’Iammuchflattered，’Isaid，’butmightIaskwhatallthesecomplimentsmaymean？
　　Tobebrief，whatisyouroffer？’
　　’Tobebriefthen，itisthis。
　　IaminneedofanassistantwhomustpossessallthequalitiesthatIseeinyou，butmostofallonewhichIcanonlyguessyoutopossess——discretion。
　　Thatassistantwouldnotbeill-paid；thishousewouldbeathisdisposal，andhewouldhaveopportunitiesoflearningtheworldsuchasaregiventofew。
　　Whatsayyou？’
　　’Isaythis，senor，thatIshouldwishtoknowmoreofthebusinessinwhichIamexpectedtoassist。
　　Yourofferssoundtooliberal，andIfearthatImustearnyourbountybythedoingofworkthathonestmenmightshrinkfrom。’
　　’Afairargument，but，asithappens，notquiteacorrectone。
　　Listen:youhavebeentoldthatyonderphysician，towhosehouseyouwentbutnow，andthese’——hereherepeatedfourorfivenames——
　　’arethegreatestoftheirtribeinSeville。
　　Itisnotso。
　　Iamthegreatestandtherichest，andIdomorebusinessthananytwoofthem。
　　Doyouknowwhatmyearningshavebeenthisdayalone？
　　I
　　willtellyou；justovertwenty-fivegoldpesos，*morethanalltherestoftheprofessionhavetakentogether，Iwillwager。
　　YouwanttoknowhowIearnsomuch；youwanttoknowalso，why，ifIhaveearnedsomuch，Iamnotcontenttorestfrommylabours。
　　Good，I
　　willtellyou。
　　Iearnitbyministeringtothevanitiesofwomenandshelteringthemfromtheresultsoftheirownfolly。
　　Hasaladyasoreheart，shecomestomeforcomfortandadvice。
　　Hasshepimplesonherface，shefliestometocurethem。
　　Hassheasecretloveaffair，itisIwhohideherindiscretion；Iconsultthefutureforher，Ihelphertoatonethepast，Idoctorherforimaginaryailments，andoftenenoughIcureherofrealones。
　　HalfthesecretsofSevilleareinmyhands；didIchoosetospeakI
　　couldsetascoreofnoblehousestobroilandbloodshed。
　　ButIdonotspeak，Iampaidtokeepsilent；andwhenIamnotpaid，stillIkeepsilentformycredit’ssake。
　　Hundredsofwomenthinkmetheirsaviour，Iknowthemformydupes。
　　Butmarkyou，Idonotpushthisgametoofar。
　　Alovephiltre——ofcolouredwater——Imaygiveataprice，butnotapoisonedrose。